Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh reallocated ministers’ portfolios.
Imphal:
After overcoming a political crisis following a correction with a disgruntled nuclear power ally, Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh reassigned ministers’ portfolios, removing some of his own departments which have now been attributed to his deputy Y Joykumar Singh.
The Deputy Chief Minister, who is from NPP, obtained portfolios of finance, science and technology and economics and statistics, according to an official order issued by chief secretary J Suresh Babu.
The chief minister retains the functions of reception, staff, planning, general administration, vigilance, transport, minor irrigation, tourism and minority affairs.
It will also hold other backward classes, scheduled caste, information technology, housing and urban development, horticulture and soil conservation and any other departments not specifically assigned, added the order made late. Sunday night.
Earlier, Joykumar Singh was dispossessed of numerous portfolios and was only entrusted to the responsibility of the civil aviation department.
Trouble had started for the BJP-led coalition government in Manipur after the chief minister removed his deputy’s main portfolios for criticizing him in public office.
This ultimately resulted in the resignation of four NPP deputies from the ruling coalition last month.
The three other BNP ministers keep the services they had before the resignation.
With the return of the four NPP ministers, the BJP-led coalition retained the same group of ministers.
The exercise also dashed hopes of BJP legislators and congressional defectors to become ministers.
Another ally – the Naga Popular Front (NPF) with four legislators in the 60-member House – who demanded parity with the NPP in the cabinet, also made no further gains.
While the NPP has four ministers, the NPF has two cabinet members.
According to constitutional provisions, there can be a maximum of 12 ministers in the state, including the chief minister.
Regarding three other BNP ministers in the government, Irengbam Arunkumar, media adviser to the chief minister, told PTI on Monday that the resignation letters submitted by four BNP ministers had never been accepted, they would therefore continue to hold the same portfolios as before.
As a result, Langpoklakpam Jayantakumar Singh retains authority for the development of family health and well-being, law and legislative affairs, art and culture and command; Letpao Haokip is Minister of Water Resources, Youth and Sports and N Kayisii is Minister of Tribal Affairs, Mountainous Development and Fisheries, said the CM media adviser.
The political drama in Manipur was sparked by the resignations of nine legislators from the ruling coalition, including four NPP ministers.
